Reading is one of the most important skills that learners need to develop during the early years of schooling. Recognizing the need to address reading difficulties among Key Stage 1 learners, Trece Martires City District I implemented Project GEM (Give, Empower, Mobilize) during School Year 2025–2026. This study examined the reading status of learners before and after the implementation of the project and described the changes observed in their reading performance.
A total of 1,779 Grade 1 to Grade 3 learners participated in the study. The learners included those who were identified through initial assessment as needing varying levels of reading support. The Comprehensive Reading and Literacy Assessment (CRLA) was used to determine their reading status. Baseline and succeeding reading assessments were used to monitor changes in the learners’ performance throughout the implementation of Project GEM.
Before the intervention, 680 learners (38.2%) were classified as Full Refresher, 478 (26.9%) as Moderate Refresher, and 621 (34.9%) as Light Refresher. No learner was classified as Grade Ready at the beginning of the program. After implementation, Full Refresher learners decreased to 340, Moderate Refresher learners decreased to 388, and Light Refresher learners decreased slightly to 615. At the same time, 436 learners (24.5%) were classified as Grade Ready.
The results indicate a positive movement in the reading status of the participating learners. The reduction in the number of learners in the lower reading categories, together with the emergence of learners in the Grade Ready category, suggests that Project GEM contributed to improved reading development. The findings also point to the importance of providing appropriate reading materials, strengthening teacher support, sharing effective reading practices, and regularly monitoring learner progress. The study recommends sustaining and strengthening Project GEM through continued teacher support, adequate reading resources, regular assessment, and stronger participation of parents and community stakeholders.
Table of Contents
I. Context and Rationale
II. Action Research Questions
III. Proposed Innovation, Intervention, and Strategy
Project GEM: Give, Empower, Mobilize
IV. Action Research Methods
Research Design
Participants and/or Other Sources of Data and Information
Data Gathering Methods
Data Analysis Plan
V. Results and Discussion
Research Question 1: What was the reading ability of learners before the implementation of Project GEM?
Research Question 2: What was the reading ability of learners after the implementation of Project GEM?
Research Question 3: Was there an improvement in learners’ reading performance before and after Project GEM?
VI. Conclusions
VII. Recommendations
Objectives and Topics
The primary objective of this action research is to evaluate the reading performance of Key Stage 1 pupils (Grades 1 to 3) in Trece Martires City District I before and after the implementation of Project GEM (Give, Empower, Mobilize) during School Year 2025–2026. The study specifically investigates the baseline reading proficiency of learners, tracks their subsequent progress across defined assessment benchmarks, and determines the overall descriptive improvement resulting from this structured district-level reading intervention.
- Early childhood literacy policies and institutional frameworks within the Department of Education.
- Collaborative community and local government partnerships in educational support initiatives.
- Core intervention pillars: resource provision (Give), teacher capacity building (Empower), and multi-stakeholder mobilization (Mobilize).
- Assessment methodologies utilizing the Comprehensive Reading and Literacy Assessment (CRLA).
- Categorical redistribution of struggling readers across Full Refresher, Moderate Refresher, Light Refresher, and Grade Ready tiers.
- Strategic recommendations for sustaining longitudinal reading programs and individualized remediation.
Excerpt from the Book
I. Context and Rationale
Early literacy development plays an important role in a child’s success in school. The early years provide learners with opportunities to develop foundational skills that they will continue to use throughout basic education. In line with DepEd Order No. 21, s. 2012, Republic Act No. 10157 or the Kindergarten Education Act of 2012, and Republic Act No. 10533 or the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013, early childhood education is recognized as an important foundation for lifelong learning.
These policies emphasize the need to provide young learners with quality educational experiences and appropriate support during the early years. Developing literacy skills at this stage is particularly important because difficulties in reading may affect learners’ ability to understand lessons, participate in classroom activities, and meet expected learning standards as they progress through the succeeding grade levels.
In the Schools Division of Cavite Province, reading has been identified as one of the Priority Programs and Activities (PPAs) under the Curriculum Implementation Division for School Year 2025–2026. The initiative seeks to strengthen reading habits and improve literacy among Batang Caviteño. This direction provided an opportunity for schools and district leaders to examine learners’ reading needs and develop interventions that respond to actual school conditions.
In Trece Martires City District I, reading assessment results showed that many Key Stage 1 learners continued to require additional support. The situation called for a coordinated response that would provide learners with reading materials, strengthen teachers’ instructional practices, and allow schools to monitor learner progress more closely.
In response, Trece Martires City District I, in partnership with the Local Government Unit (LGU) and its education advocacy, “Gabay ng Eskwela sa Matatag na Brigada,” implemented Project GEM or Give, Empower, Mobilize. The project was developed as a collaborative effort intended to support existing DepEd reading initiatives.
Project GEM focused on three interconnected areas. First, the project sought to Give learners access to appropriate reading materials and other resources that could support regular reading practice. Second, it aimed to Empower teachers by strengthening their capacity to provide reading interventions suited to learners’ needs. Third, it sought to Mobilize educators and other stakeholders by encouraging the sharing of effective reading strategies and practices across schools.
The project also placed importance on continuous monitoring. Reading difficulties vary from one learner to another, and progress may occur at different rates. Regular assessment therefore provided teachers and school leaders with information that could guide adjustments in intervention and help identify learners who needed additional assistance.
The implementation of Project GEM provided an opportunity to examine whether the reading status of participating learners changed after receiving sustained intervention and support. This study was undertaken to document those changes and provide evidence that may be useful in strengthening future reading programs in Trece Martires City District I.
Chapter Overview
I. Context and Rationale: Establishes the foundational necessity of early literacy in primary education, referencing legislative directives, district-level reading challenges, and the collaborative inception of Project GEM in Trece Martires City District I.
II. Action Research Questions: Formulates the three guiding research questions designed to measure learner reading profiles before and after intervention, as well as descriptive improvements across reading categories.
III. Proposed Innovation, Intervention, and Strategy: Details the structural framework of Project GEM, elaborating on its tripartite methodology—Give (resources), Empower (teacher instructional capacity), and Mobilize (community collaboration)—alongside systematic monthly monitoring.
IV. Action Research Methods: Outlines the descriptive quantitative research design, the participant cohort of 1,779 primary pupils across eight public elementary schools, the application of the Comprehensive Reading and Literacy Assessment (CRLA), and standardized electronic data collection protocols.
V. Results and Discussion: Presents comparative statistical distributions and data tables documenting the sharp reduction of learners in lower refresher categories and the advancement of nearly a quarter of the cohort into the Grade Ready classification.
VI. Conclusions: Synthesizes the overall impact of the intervention, highlighting tangible literacy gains while acknowledging analytical boundaries and emphasizing the continued requirement for sustained targeted support.
VII. Recommendations: Delivers actionable guidance for educational leaders, proposing continued capacity building, regular assessment cycles, community engagement, and the potential expansion of intervention modules to higher grade levels.
Keywords
reading intervention, literacy development, Project GEM, Key Stage 1, Comprehensive Reading and Literacy Assessment, early literacy, Trece Martires City, elementary education, teacher empowerment, reading proficiency, remedial reading, foundational learning
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the overarching subject of this research paper?
The paper evaluates the effectiveness of an action research reading program named Project GEM (Give, Empower, Mobilize), designed to remediate reading difficulties among primary school learners in Trece Martires City District I.
What are the primary thematic areas examined?
The study centers on early grade literacy development, standardized diagnostic reading assessments, teacher professional capacity building, collaborative multi-stakeholder partnerships, and systematic learner progress monitoring.
What specific research questions guide the investigation?
The research investigates the reading abilities of learners prior to the intervention, their reading status following the intervention, and whether measurable descriptive improvements occurred across assessment categories.
Which scientific methodology and assessment tools were employed?
A descriptive quantitative action research design was utilized, tracking 1,779 Key Stage 1 pupils using baseline and follow-up data derived from the Comprehensive Reading and Literacy Assessment (CRLA) recorded via centralized spreadsheets.
What were the principal findings revealed in the results?
The intervention achieved a reduction of Full Refresher pupils from 38.2% to 19.1% and Moderate Refreshers from 26.9% to 21.8%, while simultaneously graduating 24.5% (436 learners) into the Grade Ready category where none had previously qualified.
Which key terms best describe the work?
Key terms characterizing the study include reading intervention, literacy development, Project GEM, Key Stage 1, CRLA, teacher empowerment, and early childhood literacy.
What do the three pillars of Project GEM stand for?
The acronym GEM represents Give (distributing tailored reading materials), Empower (training teachers in differentiated diagnostic instruction), and Mobilize (fostering collaborative networks among educators, school leaders, and local government partners).
Which elementary schools took part in the district-wide evaluation?
The participant group encompassed eight schools: Aliang Elementary School, Conchu Elementary School, De Ocampo Elementary School, Hugo Perez Elementary School (Main and Annex), Osorio Elementary School, Palawit Elementary School, and Trece Martires City Elementary School.
What methodological limitations and future directions are noted by the author?
The author highlights that because the data analysis is descriptive and lacks inferential statistical testing or individual paired tracking paths, future studies should incorporate learner-level inferential analyses to evaluate longitudinal statistical significance.
- Quote paper
- Joefel Horca (Author), 2026, Hands-On, Minds-On: An Assessment of the Impact of Project GEM on Key Stage 1 Pupils of Trece Martires City District I, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1766649
